Journal article
MHC-I-restricted epitopes conserved among variola and other related orthopoxviruses are recognized by T cells 30 years after vaccination
It is many years since the general population has been vaccinated against smallpox virus. Here, we report that human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I restricted T cell epitopes can be recognized more than 30 years after vaccination. Using bioinformatic methods, we predicted 177 potential cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitopes.
Eight epitopes were confirmed to stimulate IFN-gamma release by T cells in smallpox-vaccinated subjects. The epitopes were restricted by five supertypes (HLA-A1, -A2, -A24 -A26 and -B44). Significant T cell responses were detected against 8 of 45 peptides with an HLA class I affinity of K(D) less than or equal to 5 nM, whereas no T cell responses were detected against 60 peptides with an HLA affinity of K(D) more than 5 nM.
All epitopes were fully conserved in seven variola, vaccinia and cowpox strains. Knowledge of the long-term response to smallpox vaccination may lead to a better understanding of poxvirus immunity and may aid in the development of new improved vaccines and diagnostic tools.
Language: | English |
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Publisher: | Springer Vienna |
Year: | 2008 |
Pages: | 1833-1844 |
Journal subtitle: | Official Journal of the Virology Division of the International Union of Microbiological Societies |
ISSN: | 14328798 and 03048608 |
Types: | Journal article |
DOI: | 10.1007/s00705-008-0194-7 |
ORCIDs: | 0000-0001-8034-1523 , 0000-0001-8363-1999 and Lund, Ole |
Adult Aged Animals Biomedicine CD8+ T cell epitopes Cell Epitope Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte Female HLA Histocompatibility Antigens Class I Human Leukocyte Antigen Human Leukocyte Antigen Class Humans Infectious Diseases Interferon-gamma Male Medical Microbiology Middle Aged Orthopoxvirus Orthopoxviruses Peptide Smallpox Smallpox Vaccine T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic Time Factors Vaccinia Vaccinia Virus Variola Virology